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Kevin Skidmore
I have known Kevin Skidmore since we were very young. We grew up and attended school and church together through our early years. Being a couple of outgoing nerds, we connected quickly and maintained that relationship all through high school. When college hit, I ended up at Geneseo and he stayed in the area to complete his Associates Degree at Broome Community College. Then, he ended up at Geneseo. My housemates were gracious enough and jointly invited him into our home at 69 Second Street in Geneseo.
Although his personality, on the surface, is rather laid back, Kevin, deep down, is a caring individual with noble aspirations. He is off to Ohio State University in the fall to start his grad work in Optometry. He no doubt has a promising future ahead of him. It is my pleasure to feature him and continue the series of the 69 Second Street graduating seniors! Enjoy some of his insights! ~JWN
VIP: What is your definition of success?
KS: Being happy. I would love to be a millionaire, but more importantly I want to settle down and have a family. Money doesn’t always bring success. Dying happy, for me, would be a success.
VIP: Who inspires you? Why?
KS: All sorts of people inspire me. There are many individuals, but I feel that the type of person that inspires me is someone who sets goals and does what they need to achieve them, without blaming others when they fail. I know I’m not the perfect example of this but, that’s why these people inspire me. J
VIP: What do you consider your strengths? Weaknesses?
KS: When I really set my mind on something, I can buckle down and do what I need to do to complete the task, no matter what. Along the same lines, I can get discouraged by failure pretty easily. Unfortunately, my life is a too even mix of these too. I’d like to move the scales over more towards my strengths and less on my weaknesses!
VIP: Now, I know you are planning on pursuing a career in Optometry, having been accepted to The Ohio State University’s nationally renowned program. What interests you about optometry? What do you hope to bring to that profession?
KS: I enjoy the medical field as a whole, but I like optometry because everyone has eyes, and most everyone uses them every day. I’ve had glasses most of my life and I know what it’s like to be visually impaired, so I hope to be able to help others be able to see and prevent some from having to deal with different debilitating eye diseases. What do I hope to bring? Well with my degrees in Math and Engineering, maybe I can do some inventing. Hopefully figure out a way to help everyone see, no matter what condition their eyes are in.
VIP: Tell me a little bit about your family?
KS: My parents, Terry and Tonya, are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary on Wednesday. My older brother Kyle is going back to school. My mom’s parents are retired, healthy, and enjoying life and my father’s parents just retired about a week ago, and are preparing to have a another kid…me! I’ll be staying at their home in Ohio over the next four years while I attend school out there. Meanwhile, my Great Grandmother is living on her own down in West Virginia, at 96 years old. She’s a trooper. J
VIP: What are some short term and mid term goals for you?
KS: Short term – graduate at the top of my class at OSU. Long term – get married, have two kids that grow up to be good, contributing citizens. Own at least one optometry business and travel into space; whether it’s with NASA or with Richard Branson on Virgin Galactic. I don’t care how I get there, but I will be in space, even if it’s just my ashes.
VIP: What are some compelling books, movies, or shows, that have made a lasting impression on you?
KS: Well this may sound nerdy, but anything that is Star Trek. I’ve watched, not necessarily read, but watched, attended, and listened to most of the Star Trek material out there. It gave me my love for space and technology, and I feel it will help me with my life goals.
VIP: What are some of your hobbies?
KS: Computers and technology. I also love cars, car electronics accessories and their installation. I really enjoy adding aftermarket equipment inside cars. I also like spending money on all of the above.
VIP: Who are three people, from any time period, that you would like to meet?
KS: Muhammad Ali, Will Smith, Neil Armstrong.
VIP: If you could pass one piece of information on to everybody in the world, what would it be?
KS: Get over it, life’s not fair but take what God gave you and make the best of out it. If you don’t like where you live or your job, or your situation, do something constructive to change it, don’t just look for free handouts. Don’t get me wrong, take the handouts when they’re given, but don’t make that your life.
